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Mastery Journal Post

How has each course contributed to your personal and professional development 
 as an instructional designer? How well were you able to utilize the concepts and techniques you learned from the program (theories, systems design, interface styling, and the creation of multimedia content) as you designed, developed, and implemented your Final Project? Describe your most outstanding personal triumph in each course.

Month 1 mastery course was terrifying and overwhelming. I can remember logging into the LMS for the first time thinking to myself “what am I doing?” It took me a few years to find the right ID masters degree for my interests and yet, after I found Full Sail’s MSID program, I was still nervous about going back to school. Honestly, it is the best and most frightening decision I ever made. Looking at the quality of my portfolio and reflecting over the last year of my life, I can see how both my professional and personal instructional design experiences have changed. I can clearly see the progress I made over the last twelve months and revisiting the projects, discussion posts and feedback documented this process. The transformation of my professional and personal skills has increased significantly.

Starting the program with a personal logo and a simple PowerPoint presentation describing my goals and ambitions for each class has morphed into an interactive online portfolio consisting of digital videos, infographics and games. Its astonishing to think about how much I have learned and how advanced the approaches to instructional design have become. My month 1 goal was - “By the end of the Masters program in instructional design and technology, my goal is to implement new techniques, better design processes and introduce instructional design business standards into corporations that require tangible training solutions. Whether this is through consulting or as a full time employee.” I could remember submitting that goal in month 1 fearful of the road ahead. I did not think it was an unobtainable goal, but I knew the path to achieving this goal was going to be tough and time consuming. 12 months later I proved to myself that I could do “it.” “It” being reaching for my goals and executing a path to obtain it. “It” is the ability to study and focus on the goal I created for myself and dodge the hurtles. Overcoming the fear and tension of starting school again was my personal month one triumph. It is definitely the thrill of completing the first course and initiating the process for the following 11 months.

Reflecting on the program today, I realized how each month built on the content and projects covered the previous month. Moving into the learner engagement course in month 2, I was excited to kick off core of the program with a complex infographic design project. I never designed an interactive infographic so working through the course, getting to know my colleagues and absorbing how to provide and receive feedback enhanced my skills and drove my creativity sky high. Taking that into my career also helped me realize my potential and begin taking on leading rolls on major projects. Infographics require graphics and layouts specific to data visualization so learning the appropriate layouts; strategies and theories behind infographics reinforced my decision to return to school. Realizing that this MS program was the best program for my career goals, because of the design aspects alone, was, by far, my personal triumph for month 2.  

How could it get any better? Well, moving into month 3 the visual and verbal communication course, the content progressed from infographic design into eLearning module design. This course tapped into my knowledge of infographic design and built upon it. Learning how to critique infographic content and then convert that content into an eLearning module came natural to me and forced me to provide top-notch content and data for the eLearning course.  Also, we were introduced to audio recording and narration since we were asked to record narration into our eLearning course.  Making it through three months of the masters program and continuing to incorporate new ideas and design aspects into my work was my biggest personal triumph when completing month 3.

Month 4 took aspects from months 2 and 3 designs and improved them pioneering the corporate approach to ID.  Not only did this course introduce advanced content research and design, but also became my biggest personal growth month at Full Sail. Creating a video presentation for Seaside, FL community and presenting them with vehicle options became a highlight in this program. Learning how to write narration, scrip for videos, storyboard, learning new software and video editing techniques all added up to full structure of the video presentation. Also, to the fact that I finally got over my fear of being on camera. Believe me, when I read that I would have to do the video presentation myself I immediately got butterflies in my stomach, but after completing the course, I realized that being on camera in a video you designed is nothing short of amazing. Luckily I got over the fear since the rest of the program involved using my voice and face in all projects.

Instructional design strategies in month 5 stepped up the game again and introduced additional theories; research and conceptual content that helped us write and understand needs analysis, theory charts and how to present recommendations and strategies when working for a company or on a project. “A variety of sets of synthetic instructional design procedure (or models) have been developed and have been referred to by such terms as the systems approach, instructional systems design, instructional development and instructional design” (Reiser, 2012, pp.23).  I use concepts like these every day and continue to use aspects of this course when presenting to my boss, presenting ideas and presenting design concepts. You might think you are the best designer in the world, but if you do not understand the reasoning behind what you are designing, the training materials will never achieve the learning outcomes you wanted. This month broke my design habit and forced me to rethink my process behind my designs, which turned out to be my biggest triumph.

The digital media and learning applications course in month 6 introduced me to motion graphics and designing animations in Adobe Edge Animate. Creating new ideas behind proper use of animations help me on a daily basis when planning new courses. “With learning objects, small is beautiful. Like LEGO™ pieces, small, interchangeable pieces can be used to make very unique structure” (Nash, 2012, pp. 291). Learning how to built animations and interactions added quality blocks to my arsenal. Even though I do not use Edge Animate as a primary workspace, the concepts behind designing animations using other software play a huge roll in my career. This course brought script writing, narration, choosing sound effects and animation design together to enhance my skills and in my pursuit of mastery. My personal triumph happened when I proved to myself that I could quickly learn new program and a new concept to create professional animations and interactions quickly and efficiently. I like designing interactions and using the techniques I learned in this class has helped me take my animation ideas and physically produced them.  

Music and Audio in month 7 was the most exciting course in the program. Introducing me to professional level narration, voice over, sound effects, editing, audio presentations and design sparked new and innovative ideas that I took to work the very next day. “For auditory learners, it is helpful to have the opportunity to listen to the course content” (Nash, 2012, pp.295). Experimenting with narration techniques, Using EQs, soundscapes and other audio effects allowed me to dive deep into the music selection process and character development while teaching me creative ways to present content that auditory learning audiences will love. At the end of the course, I realized I knew how to do professional level voice over and choose music and sound effects effectively to portray the appropriate feeling though sound was a triumphant moment in the program. Since professional audio recording became the new normal, moving into moth 8, the Filmmaking course triggered a new approach to both video and audio.

Learning how to build digital instructional videos that incorporate voice over, digital editing and storyboarding allowed me to unite everything I learned in the program. I feel proud to say that I produce a professional level instructional video that spearheaded a love for video. Since my company is looking for innovative ways to approach new content, this course initiated many talks inside my company to start producing instructional videos. By this point in the program I had overcome the uncomfortable feels I get when I hear myself recorded and took to the camera again to fill my first instructional video. Tying a balthus knot in a tie in front of a video camera, and doing it correctly was a professional and personal triumph that will always stick with me! Knowing that I would be progressing into a gamification class in the following month, I was curious to know how everything up to this point in the program would fit into the game course in month 9.

Video presentations, content creation, graphic creation, analysis, voice over, narration, editing and gamification theories did combine in month 9. I have to say that month 9 was the biggest professional validation moment of the entire program. Everything we learned came together to build the high-tech and low-tech instructional game. As mentioned by Shute, Rieber & Van Eck games should be goal oriented, active, adaptable contextualized and incorporate feedback. Understanding the audience, how they think and act, how they play games and how I want them to interact with my game flooded my thoughts, which lead me to the final game design. Luckily the program thought me the processes beginning with a needs analysis, audience analysis and proper planning so executing the game was easier than expected. With phenomenal teachers throughout the program, the gamification course brought all aspects of ID together on a professional level. “In conclusion, well-designed games are a potentially powerful vehicle to support learning” ( Shute, Rieber and Van Eck, 2012, pp. 329). Since the final presentation was to be done through video all aspects of the game, including the learning goals and outcomes need to be perfect before the presentation could be finalized. Completing a high-tech and low-tech game has been a dream of mine and it was a triumphant moment to see both videos completed at the end of the course.

Without a proper LMS, nothing we created in this program would make it to the learners. Since LMSs are the gateway to learning, month 10 was strategically placed in order to bring together everything we created up to this point. Learning management systems and organization taught us to design and outline content, provide supplementary content; introduce assessments, interactions, and social learning aspects to present a learning concept to our audiences. In order to wrap it all into an easy to use, tractable LMS, I needed to understand how and why each learning object was being used. In order to master the ID process I learned to incorporate the strategies behind structure and organization of assets into the LMS. Seeing everything I have learned and created come together into a fully operational LMS system proved to me that I understood the concepts behind ID and the program was a complete success.

Seeing my LMS take shape in month 10 left me on a high note when entering the media asset creation course in month 11. Now that we had an LMS created, we needed to piece together a professional portfolio and introduce brand new, professional level media objects into the mix. I chose to build three media assets focusing around diversity and inclusion. Taking the concepts of infographics learned in month 2, instructional video concepts from month 7 and game design and presentations from month 9, I introduced and produced three quality assets for use in my professional portfolio. Personally and professionally this course is by far the most impactful since I used everything I learner in this course to show my design skills. All aspects of the training needs analysis to the final rendering of the game presentation was done based on the previous months content. Seeing the incredible work I put together proved that I was growing and changing and that mastery of the subject is in sight. This in combination with my LMS was a personal and professional triumph.

The final projects in month 12 sealed the deal and provided me with a professional portfolio. Not only did I have a chance to learn new concepts and ideas, I got to walk away from the program with a solid community of practice, an example of a full LMS and two professional level portfolios that are compelling and interesting, but stand out in the crowd amongst designers. Completing this program has been a life changing event and my most triumphant moment in my 34 years. “The relationship of learning to instructional design has not changed; we use instructional design to create learning environments and products” (Dempsey and Van Eck, 2012, pp. 283).  The relationship between learning and ID may not have changed, but the relationship between the instructional designer and instructional design has. I need to stay current, informed and educated in the changing technology world. With that, I continue to strengthen my core foundation of instructional design and take every moment of this program with me into my future endeavors in this abundant field.

Resources

Reiser, R.A. (2012). A history of instructional design and technology. In R.A. Reiser, & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (p 17-34). Boston, MA: Pearson

Nash, S.S. (2012). Learning objects. In R.A. Reiser, & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (p 290-298). Boston, MA: Pearson

Shute, V.J., Rieber, L.P. & Van Eck, R. (2012). Games…and…learning. In R.A. Reiser, & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (p 321-332). Boston, MA: Pearson

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Mastery Journal 11.4.2

1) In what ways has your identity as an instructional designer changed during the previous months? How well have you met the goals that you set for yourself in the timeline that you created in the Mastery course in your first month as a graduate student?

From the previous month, I did not know what all was required to become an instructional designer, but as the months of my education continued, I began to understand more and more in what would take, the knowledge and skills I needed to have. My expertise is that I have the tenacity to get the work completed, and if a situation arises, such as, when I was using Edge Animate to create a drag and drop game with jQuery coding, so instead, I used Captivate nine which, I think was much more suitable to creating and the coding no longer seem to work. Therefore, I found another way to get it completed. I manage my time well and, my areas of expertise are:

·      Infographics ·      Creating animated videos ·      Digital Storytelling ·      Voice-over ·      Creating various images ·      Drawing turned into storyboards ·      Time management ·      LMS platform

Most of what I had already knew before hand, but learning much more about how to use and manage certain software and creating the contents better. I believe that I want the way people perceive me to be as artistic, creative, talented, determined, and knowing how to develop content. Taking small steps to manage a personal brand can make a big difference.

2) What media assets have you created during the previous months that will best demonstrate your areas of expertise and support your personal brand? Describe your uniqueness and value and list your areas of expertise.

The best media assets I have created, A video on Seaside where I talked about the community, pollution, and alternate vehicles, creating children digital audio storytelling, Created various Infographics such as, creating ADDIE, media assets, an interactive WWII Infographic, drag and drop gaming, audio recording, and video.

I would like to think that all of my media assets from month one up to now, that I have created at Full Sail University that will best demonstrate my areas of expertise and support my personal brand. Nevertheless, I know that these are just a few mentioned. In addition, I have created an interactive video, learning game, and an interactive map for the target audience, which was for 8th-grade students.

3) How will you continue to develop your personal brand as a means of achieving mastery in the future?

I will continue to develop my personal brand by revisiting the different tutorials Lynda.com and other websites that Full Sail has to offer that will help me in keeping my personal brand up-to-date. Studying and practicing with the various software, using tutorials, and conducting research looking for newer trends, and methods for creating and developing my brand. Adding needed information to my LinkedIn, sharing information on Facebook and Twitter, Tumblr, and another account, making sure no site or social network are not just blank such as my blog. I will utilize and research all avenues to better my personal brand.

Also, I will attend webinars, social networking with professors, peers, and others. Posting on social media, the way I will write an email, and videos, as Ross mentioned regarding ways to Developing a Voice of Authority, and using a photo that will show authority status on your website, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. Updating my bio and resumé to share with other professionals and employers while job seeking and sharing links to content information (Ross, 2013).

Reference

Ross, T., L. (2013 November, 4 ). Developing a Voice of Authority. Retrieved from Full Sail Library http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Developing-voice-authority/126618/154007-4.html

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Reflection Post

It is a consensus across the board that games must have clear and concise goals to be effective. Each time I opened a new piece of research on educational games and gamification, a requirement and must have an aspect of a game is setting the gamer up with the underlying goal of the game. McNeill (2013) discusses the process of building a game as gaining attention, establishing the goal, unleashing the action and setting up the final challenge. Having a solid educational foundation on gamification strategies will set you up to excel in the game arena. “Better known as gamification, it’s the use of game mechanics and psychology to encourage specific behaviors with a target audience” (Simonds. 2013, para. 3). Understanding that target audience helps develop overall goals that will stand out and be relevant to the audience.

Hemley (2012) discusses four types of gamer personalities that an instructional designer should understand when developing an educational game. Killers like competition and inflicting anxiety on other players, Achievers enjoy in-game goals and challenges, Socializers enjoy conversations and role play, and Explorers enjoy complicated virtual constructs of the game. “Start slowly so that you can figure out what works and what doesn’t. Then you can expand efforts based upon proven practices” (Simonds, 2013, para. 8). With the understand of the potential gamers, We can put together a list of a game must haves. As mentioned by Strohmeyer (2013) games should always have measurable goals focused on encouraging a specific behavior. Games should always focus on things people already want to do. The game should consist of a way to measure and track the change in behavior. Games should be social and reward gamers through incremental progress. These must have both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and focus the gamer enough to complete the game.

Zichermann (2011) mentions that good gamification design aligns an organization’s objectives with the gamer’s intrinsic motivation. Using extrinsic rewards and intrinsically satisfying design, the players gain elements of desire, incentive, challenge, reward, and feedback. Zichermann (2011) believe that the combination of these elements leads to engagement. “The best combination of a motivator for business, therefore, is a balance of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation” (Jacobsen, 2013, para. 14). Grabbing attention, setting the goals and unleashing the action all lead up to a critical part in any educational game design, the final challenge.

Without an assessment of knowledge, a designer’s hard work could go unrecognized, or the goals of the game could not be met and therefore rendering the game ineffective. To assess the knowledge gained, it is essential to use knowledge checks and question/answer sections throughout. Brame (2013) mentions the versatility, reliability, and validity of multiple-choice questions and how a properly written multiple choice questions could quantify the learner outcomes.

All the way through this course, the knowledge and skills I’ve learned during the Instructional Design master’s program were incorporated. Strategizing the game design, building the game videos, narrating the videos and designing the game contents came together in one specific way which utilized aspects of the writing, visual design, media design, audio and filmmaking classes. Learning about editing and audio settings from the audio/filming classes and incorporating written content and strategies into the video recalled knowledge from the writing and visual design courses. Overall, this class has been my favor class of all because of the amount of new information received in combination with the content from previous classes. To close the class on a powerful note, Shute, Lloyde and Van Eck (2012) mention a few important theories and models of gamification. The theories and models include scientific problem solving and problem design aspects. They also mention games should be goal oriented, active and interactive, provide adaptive challenge and support and incorporate feedback. With that said, I will take this knowledge into my future endeavors as an instructional designer and design top-notch gaming solutions.

Resources

Brame, C., (2013). Writing good multiple-choice test questions. Retrieved August 23, 2016, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/writing-good-multiple-choice-test-questions/.

Hemley, D. (2012). 26 Elements of a gamification marketing strategy. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-elements-of-a-gamification-marketing-strateg

Simonds, L. (2013). Can games drive productivity? Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://business.time.com/2013/07/22/can-games-drive-productivity

Gerber, S. (2012). 9 Strategies to Gamify your startup. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://mashable.com/2012/11/02/startup-gamification/

Jacobsen, D. (2013). 5 Myths about gamification everyone should know. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://www.globoforce.com/gfblog/2013/5-myths-about-gamification-everyone-should-know/

McNeill, D. (2013). Gaming the standard: Using game design principles to meet the requirements in the Z490 standard. From:The American Society of Safety Engineers Best Practices. (pp. 32-34)

Shute, V.J., Rieber, L.P. & Van Eck, R. (Strohmeyer, R. (2013) Games…and…learning.In R.A. Reiser & J.V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology. (pp.321-332). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Strohmeyer, R. (2013) Gamification: Using play to motivate employees and engage customers. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047564/gamification-using-play-to-motivate-employees-and-engage-customers.html

Zichermann, G. (2011). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in gamification. Retrieved December 18, 2016, from http://www.gamification.co/2011/10/27/intrinsic-and-extrinsic-motivation-in-gamification​

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Learning Management Systems and Organization: Mastery Journal

1) Should instructional designers be required to be industry certified to practice in the profession? Why or why not? Your response should include relevant facts and information from the reading assignment and research from outside sources that support your argument and must include accurate, in-text APA-style citations.

I think that instructional designers, if we hold a Master’s degree, I actually see no need for a certificate, unless it is required in certain areas, that we may need such, as software for designing and creating content. No one would really want someone who claims to be accredited or certified teaching their child or training his or her employees, that are not. However, proof of certification in a particular area, this will cause them to be acknowledging as an instructional designer because it will show they have the skills and training in that field of work from the past and the present.

Therefore, one would do well to get an industrial certification. According to Reiser and Dempsey (2012) states, “Organizations will be forced by accreditation and certification standards to demonstrate that instructors and course developers have been certified as competent” (p.286). Just as those who are in the medical field, schools, information technology, and other careers have to be certified or re-certified, even after they have graduated from an accreditation college or university. I believe, as an instructional designer we should also, certification after being out of college can help us advance even more in our career.

Idealist states, “Whether you need the skills to improve your current work or need a license to start practicing in your field, certification proves to you and to potential employer’s that you have attained certain knowledge of and experience in your field” (Idealist, n. d.). As stated above, this is why I believe instructional designers will need certification even if it once a year or ever four years. According to Hanson (n. d.), states that the “At a minimum, there are nearly 1,600 certifications available, according to the definitive directory on the subject, Certification and Accreditation Programs Directory, as well as an additional 227 accreditation programs the directory notes that the growth of certification programs is largely the result of explosive population expansion” (Hanson, n. d.).

2) Explain why continuing education in instructional design and technology is important, and how you plan to continue to develop your technical skills to remain competitive in the field. Refer to at least one outside source. Everything I learned from the beginning up to now, I think it is important as an instructional designer due to technology changes daily and one in this field would need to be certified, Hanson (n. d.) states, “Certification is still the tiebreaker in a tight decision for hiring managers” (Hanson, n. d.). Hanson also states that, “Bean also notes that staffing firms are more likely to place professionals with IT certifications, than those without them and quotes a IT executive who believes that certified IT workers”, are “more productive, better prepared, and have more credibility with employers” (Hanson. d.). In addition, to stay in a competitive state, obtaining LMS certification in areas where needed the most such as certificate in software will give me more of an advantage and the credibility I will need in the continuation of my career.

I will continue to study newer trends, elemental learning, practice, and collaborate with colleagues, with other instructors, and teachers in the field, social networking, and refresh myself on all that I have learned throughout the course. I will continue to develop my skills by continuing to keep up-to-date with the LMS, software, and tools needed. In addition, I will take refresher courses that Full Sail offers graduate students, using the many resources available such as, Full Sail library, and online resources. Furthermore, I would continue to practice in the instructional design and technology profession, creating project for the Learning Management System and Organization.

3) Considering how quickly eLearning theories and practices have evolved, and in anticipating more changes in the future, how will you ensure that you as an instructional design professional will keep abreast of future changes? Your response should include relevant facts and information from the reading assignment and outside sources that support your argument and must include accurate, in-text APA-style citations.

I expect to become an entrepreneur in the field creating and designing content that is need for specific educational training, continuing to study abroad, instructing other learners with new designs that they may or may not have known. Applying my training style into the Edmodo LMS platform, introducing this program to schools, that is looking for instructional designers to teach their students and/or businesses looking to train their employees in multimedia designing. I will have the correct assets for media design and the proper tools as I am instructing learners and by letting others see my work online, as well as in place of businesses, and companies. In addition, I will remain consistent, loyal to the work that I perform, constantly adding to my journal, and website as I progress increasingly as an instructional multimedia designer that not only create and develop media designs, but also teach others.

As I think back on the reading materials and videos I have watched during the entire course. There are so many that remains with me, however, from “Teachers Tips” by Aaron Quigley, especially caught my attention. In knowing are students are online computer savvy. If so, as instructors how we can use filter in places that stop students from seeing unsuitable content, such as, how social media can cause conflicting encounters and other contents that can “cause students to become addicted too, rather than studying (Aaron Quigley, n. d.).

As an instructional designer, I would consider important and be very aware of when instructing or guide learners to certain websites; I would filter the websites they use in order for it to be more beneficial and supportive to their learning and outcomes, rather than harmful, as I begin instructing young learners.

Reference

Aaron Quigley. Students on the Internet. Retrieved from

http://www.lynda.com/Education-Classroom-Management-tutorials/Students-Internet/141465/163639-4.html?autoplay=true

Grad: Certification as an alternative to, or part of, a graduate degree. (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.idealist.org/info/GradEducation/Resources/Options/Certification

August 24, 2015

Hanson, K. (n. d.). Certifiably Empowering: Hot Fields in Which Certification May Boost Your Career. Retrieved from

http://www.quintcareers.com/certification/career_certifications.html August 24, 2015

Reiser, R. and Dempsey J. (2012). In Trends and issues in instructional design and

technology. (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Boston, MA: Pearson​

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Game Strategies and Motivation

9.4.1 Week 4 Discussion

This month I have learned so much about gamification and how to implement that in the selling hit and low tech games. There are many features that I believe are essential such as achievements, badges, and a leaderboard system to name a few. Of course, I am biased towards these because these are the game elements that I like to see because it keeps myself engulfed in the game and coming back for more. Everyone is different, so it is important to include many different game elements and test to see which is most efficient for all learners, depending on the goals and the educational material. “A good gamelike experience measures and rewards small accomplishments in addition to big ones. When you reward people for making incremental progress toward larger goals, you encourage them to keep going.” (Strohmeyer, 2013) As far as specific knowledge and skills learned throughout the program, I can say that the one thing I learned was how to create and then convert a high-tech game into a low tech no tech game, it was fun how you can translate the same idea into a different form. Gamification is something I will regularly be using throughout my career.

I improved my video editing skills in Adobe Premiere, which is a program that I have used for over a year now and feel like I am improving more every day. My new knowledge of the concepts discussed throughout this course and this program help me to understand what is essential to developing games to be used as educational tools. When you take a look at the way that learning assignments are gamified, it seems relatively easy to do, but we can all agree that it is a very broad and has many different ways to be successful. At the end of the day, the success of the game depends on the person playing the game, and if they were able to learn and retain the data that we set before them. Reference: Strohmeyer, Robert. (2013). Gamification: Using play to motivate employees and engage customers. Retrieved March 27, 2016 from http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047564/gamification-using-play-to-motivate-employees-and-engage-customers.html

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IDT610 Filmmaking Principles for Instructional Design 8.4.1 Week 4 Discussion Mastery Journal Reflection

1) Boling and Smith describe two different views of the design process—scientific/process centric versus exploratory/artistic. How do each of these views relate to your experience in planning, designing and producing an instructional video?

We have standard components of the entire process, such as reviewing scripts and content, drawing storyboards, filming b-roll, illustrating graphics, editing, color correcting, and so on. All of these are ideally followed to successfully arrive at a compelling video. Producing videos is an excellent example of the movement to expand the view of design beyond a “process-model-based-science” (Boling & Smith, 2012, p. 359). In my world, we begin each video with a template of the video creation process.

Some videos require graphics to be completed before b-roll is shot because the b-roll needs a particular graphic to be displayed somewhere in the scene. Unfortunately for science, every video warrants its process depending on what is required to convey the information. Some videos are comprised of interviews, which means there’s no script that can be reviewed, and you won’t be able to storyboard or plan any visuals until after you’ve obtained the content via an interview. Some videos have a solid plan in place for what is going to be displayed, but logistics get in the way like the location is no longer available, or the client changes their mind mid-production. This is where artistry and creative problem solving come into play to ensure that every piece of media that is produced serves the content first and foremost, despite any predetermined processes.

2) Referring to Dewey’s explanation of aesthetics, explain the ideal aesthetic experience for the learner when watching an instructional video.

As it’s cited in Boling and Smith (2012), aesthetic experiences are “those that are immersive, infused with meaning, and felt as coherent and complete” (p. 361). For learners, this means that every component of a learning object that they are exposed to needs to be thoughtfully designed and implemented with the content in mind. If the visuals incorporate a distracting color palette, font, or graphic or are themed in a misleading way, they don’t serve the content or the learner.

This month I created a video explaining how to create "The Great Nakamura Lock Paper Plane" and I planned the setting beige, and black color palette ahead of time. I used this in my background for all of the clips, the furniture, and the components were solid colors. I even went as far as using the break room to show the plane in action Additionally; I remove any distracting item from the area of the room that would be visible in the video to avoid any distracting elements in the frame. All of these choices were made to serve the aesthetic experiences of the viewers and immerse them into the process that was being demonstrated.

3) Considering the implications of emerging views on the nature of design, what changes do you think may occur in the instructional design field regarding instructional videos in the future? How will you prepare for these changes?

As Boling and Smith (2012) explained, we wouldn’t study one type of design and then try to “generalize principled from that study to all other designs” (p. 362). As it’s applied to video, not every video can be created using the same process. The content should drive the vehicle that it’s presented in. As technologies evolve, this will be even truer; the process for creating virtual reality or 360 degree videos to immerse learners in an environment won’t fit into current production models. And even if new models are built, each media piece will likely require some process adjustment to be able to obtain a more effective outcome.

In today’s standards, designers are often required to create workarounds to address constraints that force them to deviate from a set process (Boling & Smith, 2012, p. 363). The future of video will allow designers to determine the best processes for each piece they create by only providing them standards of judgment that the final piece will need to live up to. Much like we create course learning objectives, videos would also have a set criteria that would need to be met and the process to get there could be fluid and dependent on the needs of that particular project. Future designers will be expected to have a broader range of capabilities; we would need to evolve to be responsible for “decisions we make about what we work on, how we do that work, and all the consequences of what we create” (Boling & Smith, 2012, p. 363).​ Resources

Boling, E. & Smith, K.M. (2012). The changing nature of design. In R.A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional design and technology. (pp. 358-366). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.

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Final Reflection:

I like to thank all my peers for their feedback to my post. I truly appreciate it, it was very helpful to me in someone else seeing my mistakes that I did not see, thank you all.

Reflect

When I reviewed all the material, I was excited that I would be learning something different. I believe I use GarageBand once in another course before this one, but it wasn’t as much, learning how to edited remove noise was very easy, but reduce breathing in the recording was a bit hard, until I found out how to do it by viewing the video that was set for us in this course. What worked for me was working along with the video that was provided, which was a great help. What did not work was that each time I tried to lower the breathing, I do not think I got it all until I did the revising.

Inquire

The techniques I would like to revisit more is learning to pan, I think I would like to know how to pan better, and to try an master it and a few other features that I have not tried yet. There are so many good resources that I can view and work from such as, Lynda.com and Youtube, and help me along the way.

Suggest

If I had more time, I would have probably added a different instrumental beat to at least one of the projects, I would have  

Elevate

I will know how to design and create and audio using GarageBand, to help the learner understand better the content they are learning.

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7.4.1 Mastery Journal Reflection

1.) Write a complete description of the fully guided lesson that utilizes instructional audio and authentic problems as the basis for providing students with practice and feedback on each task.

The guided lesson that I would utilize instruction audio and authentic problems would be just like Clark describes (2012) states, “pitfall and shortcoming of discovery learning research and practice. Similar arguments have been presented for constructivist-inspired learning strategies and environments including student-center learning, inquiring base-learning, and self-direct learning ” (2012, p. 372). This would be a four-week project. The first two weeks I would build a pattern using different kinds of projects. The first one can be the design students create, or they can follow a model shown by the teacher. Students then record the pattern in a journal, using audio, pictures, videos, and words. Then they will have to write a couple of paragraphs describing the outcome of their project in their words attach to the project. The last two weeks they would enhance and make it their own by applying their unique creativity. This form will train the students hands on the starting point. All the materials will be provided to the students, and most of all the instructor will be available at any time to answer questions and concerns.

2.) Write a complete description of the lesson that would be in keeping with the principles described by Hannafin.

I would provide the learner animations and lots of examples for them to follow or use it as a reference. They would be required to create their own version at the end of the course, and it would have to demonstrate their knowledge in every aspect.

3) Imagine a pilot test of the two versions of the lesson in which two groups of learners would be randomly assigned to one of the two versions. Assuming that the learners have adequate prior knowledge and would benefit from the instruction but are not familiar with the subject matter being taught, identify and explain how the instructional media (e.g., text, visual images, animation, instructional audio, and video) would cause the likely results you described.

The pilot test that I would create would give the learner a sample of how the project needs to be done not for them to copy but to excel their creativity. It will include audio, video, text, and assistance from the instructor.

4.) What research validates your assumptions regarding the likely results of your study?

Most controlled intervention studies need significant assistance from the teachers and students to fall back on methods that can engage and help the students become more familiar with the subject.

Thank you,

Alex

References: Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology. Boston: Pearson.

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Reflection

The software that I learned this course was Adobe Edge Animate. Using Edge, I was able to create different learning interactive experiences for a variety of audiences. Dempsey & Van Eck (2012) state “ Many of these are most certainly influenced by new technologies, but it is the means by which these technologies promote new ways of thinking and interacting that are perhaps the most significant” (pg. 283). Edge allowed me to create animated web pages that were designed to bring in the viewer and keep their attention.

Throughout this course, I was able to interact with my peers, and I was able to apply this at work. I know that having someone reviewing my work help me to make it better from every perspective. Dempsey & Van Eck (2012) state “e-learning is a process of a learning group in action among an increasing array of learning options and shared experiences” (pg. 284). What excites me about this class is that we learn from each other with every comment. Every time we reply we make a contribution to another student’s project. We use the FSO platform tools to help us make our projects better. It’s almost like inception teaching in that we are creating learning models for others while learning using learning module!

One concept that I have pulled from this class was noticing that there are many new, and different types of teaching technology on the horizon or that is here already.

Dempsey & Van Eck (2012) state “Participation and creativity not available in conventional classes are becoming commonplace in well-designed online environments” (pg. 284). I think that the involvement and creativity that we saw in the videos we watched should be emulated in various teaching situations to see how effective it is. We all need to be constantly learning and changing with the times while respecting what we have already learned.

One of the biggest learning takeaways I had was learning to use Edge Animate. As I have said, I’m already familiar and more proficient in the Hype animation software, but it was a fun challenge to learn how another program works. I can see using it in the future for short animations that do not require any coding.​ References

Dempsey, J. V. & Van Eck, R. N. (2012). E-Learning and Instructional Design. R. A. Reiser, & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.),Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.) (p 281-289). Boston, MA

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1) What did you learn from the reading assignment about the field of instructional design that you were not previously aware of? Why is this important to your goal of achieving mastery and your future as an instructional designer?

The first thing I learned from this week’s reading was just how large the business ID market is. “In the United States alone, the training industry was a $134.39 billion endeavor” (Reiser and Dempsey, 2012, p. 178). Approximately 40% of this figure was spent on hiring ID consultants and other roles from outside of the company, directly impacting the number of instructional designers employed by client organizations (Reiser and Dempsey, 2012, p. 178).

I wasn’t previously aware of the size of this sector in the industry and it paints an interesting picture of what my future in this field will likely be. It seems as though I may have more success as an external consultant as it’s implied that in house ID jobs are few and far-between.

I also learned that group interaction is an important factor in building ID experience. Reiser and Dempsey (2012) state, “while a designer may work alone on a project, they will benefit through interacting with other designers formally or informally” (p. 182). This is not something I’d considered to any extent before, but it makes me grateful that all of my instructional design experience was built among a team of content developers and interactions with dozens of SMEs.

2) If creativity in instructional design refers to the use of special human talents and imagination in generating original ideas, how did you use your creativity to expand your work beyond the limitations imposed in this month’s design projects?

I was able to work within the limitations of Piktochart to design a reasonable layout for my ID Model posters. I did this by creating my graphics and laying out my copy in Illustrator and importing it into Piktochart. This allowed me to have more complex designs while still using the block structure of piktochart to assemble each of the sections.

3) List at least 3 main takeaways from this course and how they may apply to your monthly milestone and long-term goals. How will you use what you have learned in this course to continue to learn and improve your work as an instructional designer?

Technology will always have some level of impact on education, but it’s unlikely any new technology will ever change the entire learning landscape as we know it. This is important to remember in my field because my focus is instructional media which often ties directly in with those new-fangled technologies. Instructional Systems Designs, such as the ADDIE, Gradual Release, and Rapid prototyping are primarily what I was interested in learning in this course. I believe I have a solid foundation on each concept that I can take with me to use in future course development. In addition to the usual ID models, there’s also a myriad of evaluation methods and models that outline different approaches to determining whether your training development was successful or not. I think some of these models could be scaled up or down to work really well in my development of course materials at Full Sail. References

Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

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Planning Powerful Presentations

1) What does Kolovou discuss and/or demonstrate that you could have applied to improve your presentations during this course? List 3–5 specific areas that apply to your projects, including the smart use of space, gestures that engage, strategic eye contact, and opening and closing strongly.

Throughout this month I can say and demonstrate the improvements that I have learned just by simple following certain steps that Kolovou showed in her tutorial, one of the areas that she covered was Designing your presentation.Kolovou (2014) mentioned, "You want your audience to know where the final destination is, and how they will get there" (Designing your presentation, 00:42). I learned that is in your hands to determine where you want to take your audience in other words knowing how to take them from the red box to the green box, is all about the message.

The second are is Delivering your presentation, Kolovou said "delivering presentations is a skill you can master if you practice and prepare with passion and attention to detail" (Delivering your presentation, 00:21). I learn that with dedication you can master the preparation of an excellent presentation, there are many things that are involved in that some would be writing a script, create powerful graphics.

The third one is eye contact during the presentation he had good eye contact I really think that it gives you authority and credibility I really liked what Kolovou stated "Eyes are the windows to the soul" (Strategic eye contact, 00:16). I learned that looking strait in the eye to at least three people in the audience will give you control of the presentation.

2) Referring to the readings from your books, what key factors would the graphics in your presentations address in communicating the data/information effectively? Elaborate on the learning styles and the effects of using the visuals to improve learning.

I learned that the most important fact about knowing how to convey the content to the audience is not the number of graphics that you may have in the presentation, but the quality it is good to know that paying attention to detail can definitely pay of in the understanding process throughout the presentation, one of the things that Peter said was to keep the presentation short and sweet, be specific with what you are trying to achieve.

3) List at least 3 main takeaways from this course and how they may apply to your long-term goals. How will you use what you have learned in this course in your work as an instructional designer? What will you focus on to continually improve your presentations?

The first takeaway is the content in order to know what to design you need to know what the project is about, so therefore involves a lot of research to get all your findings. Then start writing a script that will fit to the audience that you are trying to target.

The second takeaway is the presentation knowing the content before recording, practice makes you perfect one of the goals was to keep the video under three min, that was not an easy task. After that, I added audio to my presentation to make more engaging

The third and last takeaway is the designing phase that involves a lot of creativity. I had to find the right graphics that will send a powerful message to the audience. It takes a lot of image editing not only for the aesthetic look, but also so it can fit in the video presentation, for this particular project I used Premier Pro, and Photoshop.

References:

Kolovou, T. (2014, May 12). Presentation Fundamentals. Retrieved from http://www.lynda.com/Business-Skills-tutorials/Presentation-Fundamentals/151544-2.html?org=fullsail.edu

Peters, D. (2013). Interface design for learning: Design strategies for learning experiences. Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/web-design-and-development/9780133365481

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Throughout the evolution of this course, I have learned so many strategies that I will be using inside and outside of a classroom. I always loved psychology, and this class was in some ways a refresher from some of my previous pedagogical classes, the importance of knowing how the mind works, is a spectrum of intelligences and behaviors that point us to the right strategy or method to best assist our learners.

Week two learning how to create Infographic material was fun, the way you can engage audiences by sharing information in a visual form, it was an amazing experience, it also got me interacting with illustrator and acrobat a lot, I always use adobe but until now I didn’t realize how powerful acrobat can be.

I truly enjoyed this class, it was a team work environment among peers and the professor, I learned a lot from my colleagues' ideas and experiences it helped me understand better the concepts and how important this is to apply in a real life situation.

Lastly, the R.I.S.E method was great, I love constructive criticism, the proper form of how to give and receive feedback helped me improve myself in many ways throughout my journey, Strategies for Learner Engagement has been an interesting and interactive class, I will definitely keep updating myself with the latest strategies for engagement with the learner.

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This really inspires me in every way, it makes me want to push myself harder, and never give up, and less words more actions.

Reference:

(n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2015, from http://www.shadowbeagle.com/blog/files/387070_496051597075063_1392422583_n.jpg

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This inspires me and got me fired up and helped inspire me to give my all as a person and as a professional, everyday it reminds me to stay focused in my life’s task, and to motivate others.

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